Indonesia ambitious to host Asian Games 2019

Head of Indonesian Olympic Committee, Rita Subowo (second from right), poses with some officials from Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) in Jakarta, Tuesday. OCA starts monitoring and selecting potential cities to host Asian Games 2019 while Indonesia enlists S

Foto: Antara/Yudhi Mahatma

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - Advance team of Indonesian Olympic Committee (KOI) led by Raja Parlindungan Pane arrived in Macau, China, on Sunday. They must prepare the arrival of Indonesian bidding team as Indonesia is ambitious to host Asian Games 2019.

The bidding team, led by the head of KOI Rita Subowo, will arrive in Macau on Thursday, November 8, two days before the winner of the host is elected on the 31st Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) General Assembly.

"Indonesia seriously hadle the bid and has prepared everything inculing approaching several members of OCA to support Indonesia," Pane said on Sunday. Indonesia expects to gain some support from Arab countries and countries in Southeast Asia and South Asia.

"Vietnam is our biggest competitor," he said.

Held every four years, the 18th Asian Games must have conducted in 2018. However, OCA decides to hold the event a year before Olympics 2020. Indonesia once hosted Asian Games in 1962. The event was attended by 1,500 athletes from 16 countries.